True Strength of the Heart
by roxaslover143
Summary: with the worlds saved and at peace once again along with gaining back his heart Lea/axel finds himself without purpose, or at least a path forward. but something stirs in the darkness; a pure heart is in danger along with other innocent life's all trapped in a deep riddle, a riddle only Lea can solve, if the darkness doesn't consume his heart first.
1. Winter's chill (Prologue)

The sheer chill of winter's grasp began to change the freshly fallen, powdered snow into sharpened tiny knifes as it froze into biting shards of ice over the small silent town hidden in the down valley of two blue mountain peaks; the now setting sun displaying streaks of deepening purple and red's that seemed to stain the mountain's sides before flowing down the valley like black stretching fingers before dipping into the still solid surface of the darkening waters reflecting in the lake for which the town was named; Black Lake.  
The heavily, thickened, black painted letters of Black Lake could still be seen on the town's pale, Beachwood welcome sign, the wood cracked and splintered from the ages out in the cold winters, windy springs, mild summers, and frosty autumn's. Any visitor coming from the main road, it was only during the rainy spring that one could see the white lilies speckling down the entry sides; but now winter's cold snow began to turn the top of the frigid, unmoving waters creating a blanket of condensing ice slowly turning the black water's surface into a obsidian mirror perfectly trapping the pale glowing image of a half-moon in the blank sky.  
But there was no way the small town or its people could ever know that a visitor had indeed arrived, for half a mile down from the pale wooded sign the visitor had made his way through the open park filled with bare, sleeping oak trees.  
The road cutting like a black stream through the frozen snow continued into the small town, most of the buildings remained dark and undisturbed. The grocery store, small two-storey hospital, black bricked police station, and white tall steeple church had the only remaining lights on. Outside the church was a small fenced cemetery, the black scalloped fence only became colder with ice freezing the picket tops that barely glimmered in the moon's pale light.  
It was outside this cemetery next to the black, Iron gate being watched by a dark stoned angel with eyes that seemed like hollow holes carved into the lightly curved cheeks; But the angel seemed to stand in lonely eternal vigil, waiting with its dark wings spread out ready as the angel of death to guide souls to the eternal wintry claws of death.  
On the other side was a bench, a small shelter had been built around and over the bench to help the cold, and elderly out of the biting wind during church service until the young deacons could clear the black iced, cobblestoned path to the narrow church doors. No one could know that in the waning shelter of this bench weakly laid a strange new comer, even though the snow clearly showed the red staining drops bleeding into the snow that had led a clear trail behind him.  
The drops let slowly to a congealing puddle that had begun to stick like loose gum to the black iced road, as the drops continued to fall along with the dropping temperature. The stranger painfully put his hand over the freshly torn flesh under his ebony, black coat His warm breath misted the air, but slowed as the warm blood flowed away from his cheeks and limbs. His legs were soaked, his pants beginning to stick to his flesh like iced tape despite how much the flesh shivered to keep warm.  
the stranger's limbs started to turn numb, the cold beginning to bite into his bones. He could feel his mind growing dimmer; his cheeks began to bite with the cold causing his emerald eyes to want to close, to rest, to sleep. Un-linked thoughts began to spin in his mind, the flashed like short bursts of light across a video panel almost as I all his gradually freezing body could do was try to shock him back awake; but the memories only made his weary body grow more tired and drained. Just before his mind collapsed into the swelling darkness the memories of why he had come, why he ended alone in this cold hell, of why his sides bled into the staining snow reverberated like echoing whispers in his skull before being consumed by darkness like a dying candle reaching the end of the burning wick blown out by winter's killing wind. 


	2. Waking Darkness (The Past Chapter 1)

"Lea! Lea help me!" a small girl's voice scream echoed through the swirling darkness.

Lea opened his eyes, the screams only continued to echo across what seemed endless terrain of dark, cracked ground. The air slightly burned Lea's lungs; he could only taste the familiar, pungent, bitter scent like sour almonds within the air on the back of his tongue, the taste of darkness.

Lea felt his legs shake as he stood up from the ground causing the land beneath his feet to crack; the screams became more frequent as he started to stumble through the swirling black mists, his hands could feel the moisture around him begin to settle onto his clothes and skin.

"Lea!" the voice shouted before a howling scream filled the air, Lea's heart seemed to turn to ice with the sharp piercing sound. The ice quickly traveled into his mind, seeming to turn his thoughts into flying bomb shards completely blocking any rationalization before jump starting as the girl's more frantic terrifying screams echoed again across the burning air.

"Where are you?" Lea coughed still trying to grasp his way through. "Tell me where you are, where are you?" The girls screams only grew louder, the more her cries echoed the more instinct took over Lea's legs as his stumbled walk soon dashed into a full run.

"Lea! AAHHH HELP ME!"

"Hold on! Where are you? Tell me whe-" Lea's shouts were quickly drowned out by another piercing scream, his lungs were about to burst into fire when bright blue flames ignited straight ahead of him. "Whoa!" Lea shouted thrusting his feet into the ground, sending him rolling onto the ground causing his clothes to scratch and tear while barely missing the hot flames; Lea could feel fresh cuts start to bleed, the hot air starting to burn into the open flesh. "Hold on!" he screamed, before he could stand his eyes caught something thicker then smoke and mist flow towards him; he quickly looked around to see the little girl running in-between the azure colored flames, her white dress burned around the bottom edges and left arm vaguely glistening red.

"Wait!" Lea started to chase her, but his back foot nearly buckled him back on to the black ash covered terrain. Lea pulled but his right foot had been surrounded by the thicken black smoke, he began to feel weight build and crush his foot gluing him stuck as the girl ran further the other direction. Lea could feel his heart throb inside his ribs, the dark smoke streamed towards the young girl, he could hear deep crackling laughter as her red ribbon that had been torn from her dress fell then disappeared into the rushing smoke. "No stop!" lea's muscled started to feel fire burn deep inside him, he yelled as orange flames burst from his hands; the fire spun sending spots of earth shooting into the darkness as they burned into smoking embers, before ending in a flash of scarlet and silver, he grabbed his chakrams still radiating flames from their sharp end points.

Lea's emerald eyes flashed with anger and furor, he stabbed the flaming chakrams into the smoke gluing his foot to the ground. The smoke writhed away from the searing flames; the shrilling scream once again filled the ever swelling hot air, but as the smoke finally released him the girl's screams turned into whimpering coughs.

Lea took off like flashing, orange flamed, lightning striking across a dark storming sky. His resolve only became more inflamed as the smoke formed into long spindly fingers, wrapping themselves around the girl's throat lifting her into three meters high through the febrile air. The smoke swelled below her shifting, and bubbling as it went from smoke into black dripping goop; the goop built itself like a blistering mass until two thick yellow eyes bubbled from the darkness onto the highest point of the brewing mass. The crackling laughter gurgled inside its gloppy bowels, before opening up a mouth blacker then the darkest space of hell with silver reflecting, jagged teeth gleaming in the icy blue fire directly underneath the now silent girl.

"No!" Lea threw his chakrams towards the now thin wrist below the spindly fingers, his heart stopped as they were caught by a golden-eyed heartless that hurled itself from the shadows. Lea lifted his hand out to mid air, the chakrams burst into brighter flames. The heartless squealed in pain dropping the burning weapons to the dried, scorched ground; Lea's eyes became fixed as a strong white light illuminated from the hanging girls chest, the light shined like a star radiating through the darkness. Lea could only feel panic and anger well up inside his chest, and then he let out a scream of agony clutching his own chest in pain as his heart seemed to scream and cut like a hundred knifes trying to carve itself out of his rib cage. The pain only augmented as his eyes watched the horrifying sight unfold in front of him; his screams were only drowned out by the monster's laughter as its thin dripping fingers released the girl from their clutching grip, the girls light showed her auburn hair blow away from her weakly opening dark coppery, shimmering eyes as she disappeared between the snapping serrated teeth.

Lea fell onto his knees, his heart exploding in unadulterated pain breaking apart like glass fracturing glass. The small twitching heartless ran up to Lea, a voice erupted from its thin throat.

"Axel? Axel wake up!"

"What?" lea weakly said as the air started to boil and blister his skin.

"Wake up!" The heartless yelled as it grabbed his shoulders shaking him.

Lea's eyes and body shot themselves awake, his breath heavy and hard as if he were still in the burning pit enclosed in darkness. Hot drops of perspiration fell beside his eyes; Lea blinked a few times his mind trying to warp back to reality only to find the blue eyed, spiked hair Sora sitting in front of him.

"Geesh Axel." Sora teased inquisitively, "What were you dreaming about? The nightmare again?"

Lea swung his legs over the bed edge, his feet touching to cool wood polished floor. "Uh... yea." He said rubbing his darkened eyes, before yawning to cure the feeling of tiredness itching its way through his limbs.

"And I told you Sora, my name is Lea."

"Hey you were the one that pounded _Axel_ into everyone's heads, if you ask me you should just accept it." Sora laughed under his breath before walking up to the open door. "Hey Axel, you've been having this dream for what? A few nights now?"

"Try a week and a half." Axel groggily said as he stood up from the bed.

"This is just my idea." Sora blinked and grabbed the door handle. "But perhaps you should go visit the king, or Yen Sid. They might be able to help you with whatever you've got going on, don't you think? I mean, you've been here two weeks now and still haven't found anything to do. I'll even come with you to help if you want." Sora beamed.

"You just want to not be bored here either."

"Well… can't say I have much else to do."

"(Sigh)… fine. We leave in an hour." Axel yawned.

It wasn't even two seconds before Sora sped down the hallway, it was true he had invited Axel to stay after their adventures and battles to save the worlds had been accomplished along with Kairi, Riku, Goofy, Donald, King Mickey, and all their other friends from the various worlds among the stars. But Axel couldn't help but feel a slight ominous feeling spark in his mind, he had started to grab his belongings when his heart indistinctly throbbed, then stopped.

Unknowingly lifting his hand up to rub what seemed to be a sore spot in his chest Axel put on his old Organization thirteen coat, there were questions that not only need to be asked but answers that also needed to be found. Who was the girl in his nightmare? Why was he there? And why whenever the dream had ended he would feel a tear brimming in his eye before waking to full consciousness.


	3. The Heartless (The Past Chapter 2)

"This place looks to be a tad too bright and cheery don't you think?"

"Come on Axel, it is King Mickey's castle after all; I think it's terrific here." Sora said grinning as he continued to jump from one various topiary sculpture to the next within the castle's center garden.

Axel continued to walk past the leafed sculptures of a toon pig playing a trumpet along with another toon cow saluting proudly towards the spitting topiary carving of the castle around them, he followed the cut, green path until it led to a wide open doorway leading into the inner halls. He glanced back to see if Sora had stopped goofing around, but quickly stopped as a long, brown knobby stick caught his eye; he could only stare as seven thin, wobbly brooms carried wooden buckets filled with water brushed their way past him.

Axel continued to watch them shuffle along the grass, scratching his head I wonderment. "Great… this place even has walking sticks." His hand stopped scratching when the brooms disappeared into the lowering cavern that led to the castle's underground levels. He slightly shook his head trying yet again to shake away the vague tiredness still cleaving around his mind. "Well come on then Sora, where is the-" His words were interrupted by a loud _THWACK!_ And _THUMP!_ Before quietly followed by a muffled, pained moan, Axel turned to find Sora laying flat on the ground; right above Sora was a few broken, slacking down branches that had been snapped by Sora's weight.

"Ow…well that was fun while it lasted." Sora sighed as he painfully and slowly picked himself up from the grassy floor as his fingers began to comb through his twig and leaf invested hair, Axel only chuckled as Sora walked past him. "Mickey is probably inside this way, come on maybe we can find Donald and Goofy too."

Axel's eyes tried to take in all the intricate paintings and sheer height of the white stoned halls, the candle chandeliers shined gold against the white arched ceiling. "Not meaning to offend anyone," Axel started, "but the red carpet seems a bit much with all the paintings and Mickey statues don't you think? I didn't take Mickey for the gloating sort, but come on what kind of place needs to be so bright all the time?"

"Mickey's not like that Axel; he's just a great ruler that's all." Sora started to head left when both of them heard a crashing and banging down the right, east hall. "Come on!" Sora shouted as he took down the red carpet, Axel sighed then shrugged before following along the teen; but was instantly stopped as a heartless appeared in front of him, Sora disappearing at another left turn leaving Axel behind.

Axel quickly summoned his keyblade in a flash of red-orange flames; the heartless zipped backed and forth trying to get behind him, "so that's how you want to play huh?" Axel's keyblade sizzled with hot fire at its flame carved, curved tip.

The flames shot from the keyblade like bolts towards the heartless, but like a flashing shadow it dodged the bolts with ease, sometimes tiptoeing away with the flames just a hairsbreadth away from its smoky dark hide, the heartless waved it's clawed hands in the air waving them back in forth across it's yellow beaded eyes as if to mock Axel's shooting.

"Oh yea, dodge this!" The flames around Axel's keyblade swelled and cracked the air as the flames went from bright orange to hot popping white flame; the flames swelled growing into a round ball the size of three basketballs, the heartless could only shriek as the bolt shot from Axel's blade straight into its murky chest.

The heartless squeals quickly faded into the air, Axel saw something fall from its dissipating center; the object gleamed silver in the daylight sun as it hit the soft red carpet lining the floor.

The pendant diamond shaped jewel flashed a scarlet purple, revealing even smaller rhombus shaped cuts inside. Detailed silver, carved flowers outlined the small amethyst gem, with a silver leafed vine attaching to a pair of twin shiny chains that connected through a small ring attaching the two chains together.

Axel delicately picked up the small pendant, the gemstone was easily covered by his thumb but continued to send fragments of violet light along the red carpet.

"Axel? Axel where'd you go?" Sora shouted from down the left corridor.

As Sora rounded the corner he was followed by a stumbling, clanking Goofy; both of them failed to notice as Axel instinctively shoved the pendant deep into his left pocket. Sora threw his white keyblade with yellow and blue stars over his shoulder, his other hand outstretched to Axel to help him stand.

"You missed it Axel, there were plenty of heartless that came out of nowhere, but we showed them didn't we Goofy?"

"Uh-huh, we showed them just like in the old times; although I wonder if there's any other heartless around the other parts of the castle. Oh gosh, I hope Donald and the king haven't run into any trouble." Goofy gulped.

"I'm sure their fine Goofy, but still we probably should look for them in case they need our help; right Axel?"

Axel glanced down the two separating hallways, the blood and adrenaline pulsing in his veins started to bring back reflex's and sharpened senses, something was happening but not here. There was a bigger plan starting to unfold, the though preyed upon his thoughts and welled up in his gut only reassuring the hunted feelings in his nightmares.

"Yes, we need to find the others. You came from that way so let's go the other way, uh... Goofy right? Where was the king the last place you saw him?"

"Hmmm…" Goofy scratched his head deep in thought, the thoughts seemed to continue for five long minutes before Goofy finally replied, "It was in the throne room, the king was discussing something very important with Chip and Dale; something about a sign and a note from the darkness. Then he left to go find Donald in the library while I was headed to the court yard."

"Then the library is where we'll start." Sora exclaimed, "Let's go!" Sora without hesitation charged down the right turning hallway followed by Goofy and Axel until they reached the library door, Sora proceeded into the quite room without invitation only to find Mickey calmly sitting in from of a writing desk; the surprise visit startled Mickey causing his hand to bump into the ink bottle, nearly toppling the ink onto the freshly written pages beneath his white gloved fingers.

"Oh Sora, it's you. I see you're also with Axel, what are you guys doing here?"

"I brought them here your majesty." Goofy said as he saluted his king, standing as straight as his big clunky shoes would allow.

"Mickey?" Sora said stepping into the library. "Have you seen any heartless? We just fought a few on our way down here and we were worried they were here too."

"Heartless? In the castle? This is serious, have you seen anymore? I haven't heard or seen anything down here; I must make sure the others are also ok. Goofy check the upper floors and-"

"Mickey." Axel interrupted. "I think the heartless might be coming here because of something that's been happening, maybe the same thing that's been causing my nightmares. That's why we came here to ask if you could solve my problem or at least… point us in the right direction if I may."

"Hmm… you'll have to wait Axel; I must attend to everyone in the castle to make sure they're alright. But I promise axel as soon as it's done I will gladly help you. You can stay here and wait if you want, Sora? Goofy? Would you like to help check the rest of the castle with me? Could use all the help you can offer."

"Of course your majesty!" Sora and Goofy saluted before taking off back down the halls, just as Mickey was about to leave he turned back to Axel, seeing confusion and frustration reflect in Axel's green eyes.

"You coming Axel?"

Axel remained leaning back against the wall, silently going over the racing thoughts in his head before finally shrugging and yawning. "Aww… fine I'll help. Don't want to miss out on any of the action now do I? It's not like I have much else to do."


	4. Headache (The Past Chapter 3)

The sun had grown late into the falling sky from it's once might high noon position above the sallow clouds, as the sun slowly sunk turning the sky deeper hues of darkening blue so did Axel's curiosity grow higher; the questions poking, and nudging tiny needles irritating his thoughts while trickling down like prickling water into his gut. Axel couldn't place the nervousness inside of him; he knew the castle was safe, there were no heartless to be found sense his skirmish with the strange clawed heartless he had encountered, but the sensation of coming danger still drew ever closer, something was happening, on the move, sliding through the shadows unseen which made the unknown not only hidden, but dangerous.

Axel had found himself leaning once again on the book shelves, his fingers tapped along the edges of his left pocket. Gradually crawling inside to feel the hard, smooth shape inside sending the needles in his mind deeper into his already occupied thoughts; Axel closed his eyes trying to sort out his growing senses of danger from further clouding his judgment.

"Axel?" Sora's voice questioned as he peered into the silent room, the silence was promptly ended as Sora entered.

"There you are, what ya hiding in here for?" Sora turned back to the open corridor, "Mickey, Donald, Goofy he's in here."

All of them entered the room, Donald currently running his usual set of complaints and mutterings from once again missing all the excitement from earlier that day.

"Aw phooey, you guys could have waited for me. But instead you take all the fun…"

"Garsh Donald, we didn't mean to leave you out; but we had to stop those heartless."

"Yea Donald," Sora chimed in. "Besides if the heartless are emerging here that means other worlds could be in danger, which leaves plenty of heartless left to stop right Goofy?"

Goofy nodded in agreeance, before Donald could get in another word Mickey walked into the library.

"Great work everyone; I would like to thank all of you for your help even though we didn't find any other heartless."

"Of course your majesty." Sora, Donald and Goofy replied; Mickey walked over to the desk, carefully moving aside the ink and papers he had previously been working on. Mickey turned towards Axel.

"Ok Lea, you wanted my help with some problem you've been having?"

"Yes Mickey, I can't explain it but the heartless showing up here can't just be coincidence." Axel opened his eyes; lifting his hand to rub his faintly pulsing forehead. "You see Mickey, I've been having this nightmare lately; every time I have this dream it becomes more inexplicable, and yet I haven't been able to think of any reason or cause of why this dream keeps reappearing."

"Hmm…Axel can you tell me more about the dream itself? What it's about?"

"I wake up in darkness; the air is hot enough to burn my insides when I breathe." Axel paused for a moment, "ugh…" Axel rubs his darkened eyes, feeling the days he went without adequate sleep beginning to grow heavy on them. "But before I can figure out where I am I hear screams, there's a girl screaming my name but I can't see her."

"A girl? Hmm… is this girl someone you know Lea?"

"No, by the time I can see her I don't recognize her; she's young maybe eight at most, and it drives me crazy."

"Why Lea? If you don't know her why would she bother you?"

"Because a kid like her shouldn't be where I was, there was something chasing her and she was scared. I try to help her, but whenever I start to go after her to help something always stops me. Once it was a wall of flames, another time it's been something shooting into my leg, this latest time something like thick, black smoke grabbed my leg while the air around us continues to grow hotter, I try everything I can to save her but she always get's swallowed up by this giant, black monster."

"Have you seen the monster before?"

"No." Axel stepped over closer to Mickey; the slight throbbing had started to turn into an annoying ache in his mind. "No I've never seen it before." Axel lowered his hand; the others had begun to notice him trying to relive the increasing headache. "So Mickey, what do I need to stop the nightmares? I really need my beauty sleep you know."

"Hmm…very puzzling, you may be right in what's happened today and your dreams may not be a coincidence. But the truth is Lea… I'm not sure what's going on or how to help."

"Come on Mickey, there's got to be something you can do. I can't continue waking up every time I close my eyes to actually sleep. It's a nightmare, sure-"

"Axel?" Sora interrupted, "Are you ok?"

"What do you mean Sora of coarse I am."

"Axel," Sora pointed towards Axel's hand, it was only then did Axel realize his hand had been over his heart as if it was hurting him inside.

"Lea, did you know you were doing that?" Mickey asked standing up from the desk. Axel didn't reply; his mind tried to wrap around the reason why his hand had been over his heart, but only came to a silent conclusion as he gradually lowered it back to his side. Mickey lifted his hand to his chin inquisitively, Axel shifted uncomfortably as the pain in his mind continued to sharpen as if a dull knife was slowly striking itself sharper with every passing minute.

"Hmm, well it seems to me Lea that your heart is trying to tell you something; perhaps it something that you've forgotten or only your heart can know. There's only one person I know that can help, Master Yen Sid, he may know what's going on and how to help Lea with his dreams and what they possibly could mean."

"So…" Sora scratched his head trying to process everything that had passed between the small group. "So Mickey, you're saying that Axel's heart could be trying to tell us something? How could that happen? If Axel doesn't even know the girl in his dreams, why would his heart be bringing her up or know her without him knowing?"

"Well Sora, it's just like what happened with the Sora in jiminy's journal when we went to find the missing data; he went through a period where if he wanted to continue to find the truth he had to forget the people he had met on his journey through the journal, and he did forget them with his mind at least. But his heart could still feel the emotions and feelings of being with them and losing his memory of them, there are things that the heart always retains even if we eventually come to forget them."

"Guys what's happening to Axel? Axel are you ok?" goofy interrupted, all of them looked back to finally see Axel's face turn pallid; the pain inside his mind became like lighting shooting through his body, Sora threw his arms out as Axel's legs gave way sending him collapse to the stone floor.

"Axel!" Sora shouted barely catching Axel's head before it smacked like a melon onto the hard ground; Axel's eyes became heavy and disoriented, he could feel his heart hitting against his ribs.

"Axel can you talk? What's going on? Mickey what's wrong with him?"

Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Sora helped each other to left Axel off the floor. The room only spun like a top spinner for Axel, the lights around him grew brighter before fading to black as his heavy eyes finally shut from the pain and exhaustion.

"Sora, hand me the bright blue star over behind the red leather book on the fourth shelve quickly!" Mickey shouted pointing towards the east library book case. Sora quickly grabbed the star; the smooth glass exterior reflected a deep white light within a swirling center of black and cobalt hues that seemed to match a trapped image of a dark night sky from Destiny Islands, Sora handed the glass star to Mickey who then raised it high above his head causing the light from deep within to expand changing the dark hues, distorting, and turning them brighter and brighter before the star flashed white as magic dust seemed to drip from the lustrous exterior.

"Everyone hang on." Mickey shouted using his free hand to grab Sora's jacket.

"Mickey what is that?" Sora asked grabbing a hold of Axel's arm, watching as Goofy and Donald followed suit.

"It's a wishing star Sora, and it will take us directly to Yen Sid, he's the only one who can help Lea; I'm sure of it."

The star carried the group into the air, the bright drippings of magic started to soak Sora's clothes along with Goofy, Donald, Mickey, and Axel. The drippings spread through their clothes which felt like warm water enveloping all around them, before the magic flashed like the brightest star and left the library silent, and empty behind them.


	5. The Doctor's visit

Faint, muffled sounds and blurring images were all that could make up Axel's world, the last memories he remembered of the bright shining light from the past quickly turned to dissipating melting image; Axel probed his memory, once again feeling nothing but biting ice on his skin and his body start to turn cold in the dark under hanging of what he dimly could make out of a frost covered wooden bench; the memory was soon replaced by new foggy flickers of a dim yellow light and muffled voices groggily filling his ears.

"Doc… will…recover." a soft voice muffled like a sound trapped in a deep cave before it was followed by a deeper voice sounding more forward and firm. "Yes… fine…as long…sleep…the…stays down."

Axel tried to open his heavy eyes fully, but the daunting weight kept them sealed from viewing anything beyond the inside of his dimly lit eye lids. The voices soon faded away, leaving Axel's mind to start reaching into his other senses to take in the hidden surroundings around him. Instead of cold wind touching his skin it was replaced by soft, velvety, warmth encompassing him.

The air around him gave off a slightly sweet scent; his lungs deeply inhaled catching the familiar smoky trail of wood being burned close by which his ears quickly caught the crackling burning sound, the air carried through his nose down to his lungs left the softest breath and taste on the back of his tongue. The taste was dry, a bit sour from the stale air that had gathered from his closed mouth, but still carried the slimmest tang like oranges.

Axel gently moved his right arm, feeling the velvet below turn cool and the softness above still keep in his warmth around him; he soon realized he was indeed in a bed, his mind piecing together his unknown surroundings helped to wake his warm yet achy body to move and goaded his heavy eyes to finally open.

Soft light greeted Axel's eyes; the light came from a glowing, calm fire in a square, black powdered, bricked fireplace placed in the left corner a few feet away. Axel's eyes drifted to the small dark, wooden bedside stand next to him the top of the wooden sheen reflected blurred light from the fire's glow and seemed to dance with the orange-golden flames. A small porcelain cup had been placed on top of the bed stand, small wisps of steam floated into the air around the glistening brim. The brim's cobalt sheen led down to intricate painted blue, long pedaled flowers following along a vine green stem all along the outside of the cups white surface.

The walls of the room were simple; a mundane, grey striped pattern arranged a creamy background were all that decorated the barely filled room. Beside the fireplace a window with a three sided, pointing top illuminated foggy moonlight from the outside. The window's curtains were a dark, midnight blue shimmering in the dancing light of the fire like dark waves of an ocean along the coastline. Next to the heavy set curtains was a dark stained, antique closet with silver wavy handles on two long, carved doors. The doors were covered by four panels full of intricate birds, leaves, wave splash along the edges leading down to aged lion's feet holding the closet above the pale, balm colored carpet; just beyond the closet's casting shadow was a door, the door revealed a brighter light from the outside. Axel's fingers twitched as his eyes adjusted enough to see the door had been left open, almost as if fate were tempting his patience to make for the gaping door.

Axel started to push himself up, but quickly stopped as a lightning, cutting pain shot through his side; axel bit down his tongue to stifle the shout of pain about to erupt from his insides while his hand grabbed the pulsing, wounding source on his side. The pain only continued to inhibit his craving to move his sore body; Axel's fingers gently rubbed his side feeling the soft, downy fabric of a bandage against his skin.

"Ok… so maybe this isn't as bad as I initially thought." Axel mumbled to himself. "All I have to do is stay quiet, not move quickly, and I'll be able to figure out where I am and where the key is. Yen Sid said I need to…"

Axel thoughts were abruptly interrupted as a small gasp caught his ears. He looked up to see a young woman standing like a petrified stricken deer at the door. Her heart shaped cheeks flowed with her straight, russet colored hair that had been placed behind her shoulders exposing a white, thin neck that rounded perfectly into her petite shoulders. The round glasses placed on her small, pointed nose seemed to make her eyes too big for her small heart-shaped face.

The young woman's arms showed her dainty body's trembling figure from the shaking plate in her white, nimble fingered hands. Her arms were covered by a heavy cottoned, dark grey, sweatshirt, followed by matching set of darker sweatpants. Axel blinked as she continued to shake, her eyes showing nothing but complete nervousness, and anxiety.

"Ugh…" Axel tried to start but his throat followed by a dry cough instead of words.

"I'm sorry." The woman partly squeaked, partly cried. "I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to disturb you."

Axel sorely pushed himself back against the bed's head rest, careful not to further aggravate the wound on his side.

"You're fine, it's no problem." He responded, he continued to watch her eyes stare back as her hands started to shake more vigorously.

"No it's not fine. Not fine, good, or alright at all." Her nervous body took a step back, her cheeks drained of color along with her confidence.

"I am not appropriately dressed at all, I am so sorry for my embarrassing appearance."

"What?" Axel blinked in surprise. "What are you talking about? You honestly have been standing there like that because of your clothes? Not because I'm here?"

"For that reason too." Her voice shook. "I'll get the doctor now… mm... just...Mm please stay here." Axel heard her swallow quickly before moving faster than a rabbit running for the safety of its open, deep borrow as she ran out of the open room, leaving Axel completely befuddled from what had just occurred.

"Wait a second, who are you?" axel shouted trying to reach the young woman's frightened ears. "It's not like I'm going to hurt you, or are you seriously that embarrassed because of-"

"That's enough." An elderly, toned voice said from the outside hall.

Inside stepped a bit of a heavier set man, his hair or to say what was left of his snowy hair barely covered a few scraps of his dark skinned head; but his eyes showed the kindness and wisdom of his elderly age. He walked into the room with a slight hobble, his arm slightly shaking from carrying a black, loaded doctor's case at his side; the doctor reached Axel's side, and without another word opened the bag before giving a soft, sly smile.

"Could you please turn?" his voice was deep and resonating like a strong, old oak tree standing durable against the wind. "I must change your bandages so your gash can heal, whatever got you young man you are very lucky to still be in one piece."

His hands wrinkled and knobby still showed signs of strength and precision as he delicately un-wrapped the bandage and gauze, Axel tried to laugh the signs of pain away as the peeling gauze tore away from the healing flesh.

"Heh, heh tell me doc, how long do I have? Ah!" Axel squeezed the bed sheets as the wound had fully emerged into the open air; he looked down to see four slashes that had been cut deeply into his side, the muscles could be seen dark and torn in between the ageing stitches. His fingers instinctively reached to nurse his side, but were stopped by the doctor's sympathetic hands.

"Sorry but you mustn't touch, let me readdress this first. So tell me, where did you come from? And what did this to you?"

"I'm from far away, uh… I'm not sure what did this to me. Ha, my memory isn't quite settling with me, must be the near death experience." Axel winced feeling a slight pull come from his gashes, the doctor merely hummed inquisitively.

"Hmm, I see. Well I'm merely here to treat your wounds not expel your secrets, and don't worry about your memory, I'm sure it will come back with some time. After all you came here half frozen to death which was only followed by the high fever you had, you have been sleeping for three days now, so I understand if you want to move but you must wait for another couple of days before you can start to move around otherwise you may hurt yourself further."

The doctor finished dressing the gashes, he smiled as Axel much like many other younger patients had done tried to chew more then he could handle.

"Don't sweat it, I'll be up and dancing before tonight ends doc." Axel started to lift himself off the bed. "See, this is easy." Axel boast, but his words were promptly followed by a pained growl as the wound on his side sent pain through his back and gut as if the gashes had grown claws themselves; Axel coughed as he sat back down to end the razor like feeling knowing away from his covered wound.

"You see," the doctor chuckled. "Just a couple more days and you can start to walk around. Here is some orange-lemon tea for you. It will help you sleep and lessen the pain."

"Come on doc, I've slept plenty already don't you think?" Axel said showing an impish smile, before leaning back onto the comfortable pillow behind him. "Say doc?" Axel started to ask pushing himself back to rest against the head rest. "That girl, she's um… a bit jumpy ain't she?"

"She's just very cautious; she doesn't take to strangers very well."

"I'll say, she honestly looked at me as if I were some monster or something; man I would really like to find out what happened to make her like that, did a spider jump out at her, a big one perhaps?" Axel smirked grinning to himself.

"Young man," the doctor's voice deepened further turning into a solid stern tone. "That young woman has been through plenty and doesn't need you to rile her up; she's very timid and doesn't need anyone scaring her in their silly games of mischief, let alone by a stranger with an impish attitude I see in front of me."

"Alright, alright doc I was just kidding. But honestly, who is she? Why is she like that? I mean to fret over a stranger just waking up is one thing, but to turn into a frightened ghost because of she thought she wasn't dressed properly? Come on doc, give me hint or something."

"Young man, I am not at liberty to tell you anything or give you any hints of any sort." The doctor punctually finished as he snapped his leather bag closed. "All you need to know is her name is Tasha, and you are a guest in her home so treat her with some respect. She found you out there in the cold, and for reason's I cannot fathom she allowed you to stay her because the hospitals beds are all filled up at this moment."

"Wow, must be hard not being the best doctor huh?"

"I'm the only doctor around here," the doctor said rolling his eyes to avert the kidder comment. "At least for the next few days, my partner left two days ago to visit his distant family. Young man, what is your name?"

"Ugh…" Axel twisted his tongue, slowly rolling it around the cheeks of his mouth. He remembered the advice Yen-Sid had given to him to never reveal his true name before he came here, there was no way to know if other enemies were watching out for him or the heart of this world. So calmly sighing to quickly lead off his hesitant answer Axel replied smugly, "its Axel, got it memorized doc?"

"Yes, simple and to the point, my name is Doctor Oliver. I do hope your recovery is well Axel, and under the circumstances I'm afraid we can't have a better welcome to Black Lake for you."

"Black Lake?"

"Yes Axel, you are in the peaceful town of Black Lake and I welcome you if you also come with peaceful intentions. Why on earth you came in the dead of winter is beyond me, but welcome all the same."

"Thanks... I guess. And trust me doc, I'm as peaceful as a lamb in the meadow during springtime." Axel smiled.

"I'm sure you are." Dr. Oliver mumbled under his breath. "Well rest well Axel, I'll be back to check on your injury in the morning. Oh and Axel, please do not upset Tasha, she's very sensitive and very shy."

As Dr. Oliver left Axel felt a dawning sense of mystery prickling the back of his neck, along with the old sense of something hidden in the shadows still brewing deep in his gut. Was this really where the problems were happening? In this small place so far from any other world he had visited?

All these questions swirled inside Axel's mind, he would have to wait; the injury on his side and how he had gotten it were still foggily known even to himself, and there could be danger waiting to strike if he didn't play this out carefully and with caution. So Axel in the waning late hours of the night closed his eyes, waiting for the next day to find out about this place, its people, and where the hidden keyhole of this world could possibly be hiding in this simply, ordinary, small town.


End file.
